How To Quit Smoking Using Nicotine Patches

 

There are several ways to quit smoking. One popular method is using nicotine patches. These patches eliminate the urge to smoke all day. With commitment, you can stop smoking.

How They Work

Nicotine patches are designed to help you to manage yourto smoke. Patches help with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The patches start to release nicotine as soon as you apply the patch to your skin. The patches release nicotine throughout the day for 24 hours. Each day you attach a patch to your skin. For six to 12 weeks you use the daily patches to reduce the cravings for a cigarette. The amount of nicotine in the patches is gradually reduced over time to wean you off nicotine.

Each day, preferably upon waking up in the morning, you attach a new patch to your skin. You keep the patch on for the next 24 hours. If you prefer, you can remove the patch before bedtime. However, for best results, keep the patch on for at least 16 hours each day.

The Step Down Program

Nicotine patches are available in three different strengths. This helps smokers to gradually reduce their cravings for nicotine.

The initial treatment depends on how many cigarettes you smoke a day. If you smoke more than 10 cigarettes a day, you need to start with patches containing 21 mg of nicotine. Use a patch every day for six weeks. The next step is to use a 14 mg nicotine patch for two weeks. The final step is to use a 7 mg patch for two to four weeks to completely end your cravings to smoke.

For people who smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day, start using a patch with 14 mg of nicotine. Use a nicotine patch daily for 2 weeks. The next step is to use a 7 mg nicotine patch for two to four weeks until you no longer have a desire to smoke.

It's important to read the instructions of the nicotine patch you use. By reading the package label you get a good idea of how the patches work and how much nicotine is in each patch.

Nicotine patches are a discrete way to end your dependency on nicotine. With patches, you can quit smoking in about 10 weeks.

What Addiction Really Costs

Drug abuse can be very costly not only because of the high cost of drugs, but because of lost opportunities, time spent in jail, fines, medical expenses, legal fees and myriad of other costs. The real cost of addiction can be insanely high. Take a look at the following costs:

i) Court Fines

DUI is perhaps one of the most common crimes in the country with millions of cases reported nationwide every year. If you are found to be driving a vehicle while intoxicated (blood alcohol level over 0.08%), you can be arrested and charged with driving under the influence. Depending on whether its your first, second or third DUI offense, you can easily spend over $10,000 to cover the court fine, cost of legal representation, court fees and court-mandated alcohol prevention classes. If the court orders you to wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet, you will spend an extra $12/day.

ii) Medical Expenses

Addiction can damage some of your organs and affect your brain function. Assuming you do not do anything that may lead to contraction of or STI's, you will still find yourself making endless trips to the emergency room. From respiratory illnesses to liver and lung problems, you can easily max out on both the inpatient and outpatient coverage limits on your health insurance. In fact, you may find yourself paying cash for medical treatment before long. Pregnant women who are addicted to drugs, on the other hand, can cause both short and long term complications to the child.

iii) Loss of Employment

For many people, employment is the only source of income, but addiction can take that away. Most people who are addicted to drugs often lose their jobs because of incompetence, absenteeism or failing a drug test during mandatory drug screening. Chances of getting another job in the future can be very low due to a smudged record.

iv) Legal Representation

A decent lawyer will charge between $2,000 to $5,000 for a retainer on a misdemeanor drug offense and $5,000 to $15,000 for felony charges. Furthermore, you may still end up in jail. If found in possession of a gram or less of heroine or cocaine, you can spend a minimum of two years in state prison (in Texas).

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Mental Illnesses And Loneliness

 

Although people become lonesome for many other reasons, loneliness can be a symptom or a cause of mental illness. Disorders of the mind often occur as a result of a person's attempts to replace human connection with objects, substances or illogical behaviors. Four common disorders related to loneliness include drug addiction, depression, hoarding and anxiety in social situations.

Addictions

When a person becomes addicted to illegal drugs, medications or activities like overeating, he or she frequently does this to replace something they are missing in life. Researchers have discovered a link between addictions and a lack of close connections with family members or friends. Sadly, some people bond with liquor or cocaine in the same way they would otherwise connect with a best friend.

Depression

Many people become depressed after feeling lonesome for substantial periods of time, according to study data. Sadness is frequently associated with a lack of friendship. When individuals have no significant relationships with family or friends, this sadness often develops into depression and makes them less likely to try meeting new people.

Hoarding

Although many physicians look at hoarding as an obsession, it frequently stems from loneliness. Some individuals gather objects and use them to replace close relationships. Everyone does this to an extent; people normally keep photos, gifts or belongings left behind by friends or relatives who pass away. Hoarders take it to an extreme as a result of their isolation.

Anxiety

Socially anxious people have difficulty meeting others and forming relationships with them. This does not always occur as a result of poor social skills. In many cases, it is linked to a strong fear of social errors. Individuals with this type of anxiety become more and more isolated because they are afraid of making mistakes when talking to other people.

Mental illness often leads to a cycle of increasing loneliness as patients with these conditions avoid other individuals and acquaintances shun them due to their unusual behavior. Anyone who experiences one of these disorders should recognize greater socialization as a potential solution. Few people succeed in resolving mental health conditions in total isolation.

What Is Ibogaine Treatment For Addiction?

Of the many treatment methods that are currently used to treat heroin addiction, none has substantial effect on a psychological level. They majorly serve to treat the addiction or help victims manage it, but never really treat the addiction with the intention of reducing or completely curing the disease. However, among the many unconventional and experimental treatments that have been tried, Ibogaine has indicated some promising results.

What is Ibogaine?

Ibogaine is a psychoactive substance derived from certain trees and shrubs found in native African rainforests. The natural psychedic is cited to have been used by African pygmy tribes (and other tribes) for ritual and medicinal purposes.  

Ibogaine Treatment for Addiction

Several separate researches that have been carried on Ibogaine (since 1960s) have indicated that the substance can effectively treat various forms of addictions: heroin, cocaine, alcohol, methadone, methamphetamine, steroids, and other drugs. When used as type of interruption therapy, the psychedelic induces dream-like visions to the patients (while they are awake) followed by feelings of instructive replays of the various pivotal life effects that may have contributed to their addictions. Some are also confronted by negative emotions and fear that in a way drive the addiction disease.  If used for addiction treatment, it's recommended that supplemental treatments such as intensive counseling, therapy, and aftercare are applied to achieve maximum results from the Ibogaine treatment.

Side Effects

Although Ibogaine has been implicated as treatment for various forms of addiction in unprecedented number of studies, it's been associated with a number of negative side effects, including loss of motor coordination (making it difficult for patients to walk or stand without assistance), vomiting, nausea, and dry mouth. Ibogaine can also agitate certain types of heart conditions and can cause fatal reactions with certain foods (such as foods that contain citrus and bergamot oil). What's more, the psychedic can have detrimental effects when administered alongside other psychotropic medications and is therefore not recommended for dual-diagnosis (simultaneous treatment for addiction alongside mental or emotional disorders).

Bottom Line

For Ibogaine treatments to be universally accepted in the healthcare fraternity, there must be enough evidence that its benefits surpasses its potential to cause harm, which currently necessitates continued research and clinical experiments. Nonetheless, preliminary results regarding the development of the Ibogaine into clinical, therapeutic, and medicinal treatments are quite promising.

Help To Quit Using Medical Or Recreational Marijuana

Quitting marijuana use is not an easy task for most people. Study shows that 100,000 people living in the U.S. seek help quitting weed and pot every year, and not all of them are successful. In order to properly learn how to stop using pot or weed, professional help is needed.

Medical Help

While treatment from a medical facility isn't always needed in order to quit smoking weed, the evaluation from a professional can be a good first step towards helping break the habit. Long term marijuana use will have both physical and psychological effects on a person. Having a professional doctor look into such cases can help determine whether the patient is having withdrawal symptoms, a mental illness or other medical conditions when trying to quit pot.

Most people abusing more than one type of drug will have more difficulty quitting. A qualified doctor will be able to evaluate issues that exist or those that may arise in the future when a patient is trying to stop substance abuse.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Study shows that not every patient experiences withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit weed. The same also goes for chronic users who have been abusing drugs for an extended period of time. However, there are those who will experience one or more withdrawal symptoms based on levels of addiction, lifestyle and how their individual bodies react to treatment. Some of these symptoms include; sleep disorders, headaches, sensitivity to light, depression, anxiety, paranoia, aggression and irritability among others. Most of these symptoms will be experienced in one to three days after stopping the substance abuse.

Treatment

While there is currently no medication for marijuana use, aids from a professional doctor can help patients quit smoking. In most cases support groups, drug programs and therapy will be recommended in helping those with substance abuse problems. In order for a patient to successfully quit smoking weed and pot, they will need to be surrounded by people facing the same problems, where they can share their own experiences and eventually come up with a solution to the problem. Support groups will help these patients understand that they are not alone and motivate them to quit using marijuana and other drugs.

Addiction: Stop Enabling Behaviors

Regardless of how you feel about addiction, when someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, you may experience feelings of sympathy, guilt, and self-responsibility. All of these are normal emotional responses. However, those feelings often lead to enabling behaviors, which do everything to support the addiction instead of the addicted. In order for the loved one to gain and keep their sobriety, families and friends have to recognize and put an end to detrimental behavior.

Enabling Behaviors

* Taking or assigning responsibility for the drug addiction.
Constantly placing blame on past experiences, current stresses, and other people reaffirms the addicts behavior and keeps the addict from recognizing that drug use is a choice. Those who are addicted can choose to get treatment and live better lives.

* Giving an addict money for life expenses
Drug use is the cause of an addict's inability to pay for housing, food, utilities and other bills. When you pay an addict's bills, you are effectively paying for their drugs. Some drug users will not pay their expenses and will use the money to buy drugs.

* Allowing an addict to live with you
Nobody wants to see a loved one on the street, but when you take them in because they "have nowhere else to go", you are inviting their choices and behaviors into your home and denying them the chance to fall. Most addicts have to hit rock bottom in order to seek out the help they need.

* Taking responsibility for their legal problems.
Some of these enabling behaviors include posting bail, offering false alibis, paying for legal and court fees, or allowing them to live with you while on probation.

Work Together to Stop Enabling Behaviors

The only way to help an addict is to let them deal with the consequences of their actions. For this to work, every family member and friend must agree to stop the enabling and they must be steadfast in their agreement.

The final step is to call an intervention specialist and set up a time for all close friends and family to discuss details. This meeting underlines the significance each loved one has in a successful intervention and prepares them for the confrontation that will follow. Each person will let the addict know they are putting a stop to enabling behaviors so he or she will take advantage of all the benefits of addiction treatment.

Injecting Opana and Its Hidden Dangers

Prescription medication, especially painkillers, abuse has increased in the US in the last few years. Painkillers not only delay pain signals from injured body parts to the brain, thereby numbing pain, but they also induce an increased production of dopamine (the feel good hormone) by the brain, in essence inducing a high/ rush. Opana, morphine, Oxycontin, oxycodone and buprenorphine comprise some of the pain medications that have similar effects to that of heroin and other depressant drugs. In the absence of heroin and other potent depressants, some people ingest high quantities of analgesics/ painkillers, or alter the prescribed dosage form to a form that gets the drugs directly into the bloodstream for an instant high.

Injecting Opana

Opana is a painkiller whose prescribed mode of intake/ ingestion is oral. Oral intake of Opana takes the drug hours to get released into the bloodstream, and even then, the drug seeps into the bloodstream, from the digestive system, in controlled quantities. Abusers of Opana crush the pills, dilute the powder/ or heat it into liquid, and directly inject the liquid into the bloodstream. The effects are immediate and deadly.

Deadly blood disorders from injecting Opana

Clotting: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

The human blood circulatory system is composed of the blood, blood vessels (capillaries, veins and arteries) and the heart. The heart receives and pumps blood from and into other body organs through the blood vessels. The highly potent injected Opana causes the conglomeration of platelets (the blood's clotting component) inside the blood vessels, in essence blocking those vessels. Blocked blood vessels limit blood flow and force the heart to overwork to pump blood throughout the body. Clotted platelets and blocked blood vessels can lead to an instant and massive heart attack or the damage/ death of organs that do not get oxygenated blood supply.

Internal bleeding

The human blood is made up red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells. The platelets conglomerate on injured tissues to stop bleeding. When Opana induces platelets clotting inside the blood capillaries, it limits the number of platelets that other body tissues receive. Inadequate platelets lead to internal bleeding, and or excessive bleeding from injured external tissues. Insufficient blood flow to the brain can cause stroke and death, and low blood pressure (from reduced volume of blood in the capillaries) can lead to a heart attack.

A high American population has turned to prescription medicine for recreational use. Since prescription medications are made to be ingested and released into the bloodstream gradually, abusers of these drugs alter their (drugs) forms to release high quantities of the drugs into the bloodstream instantly. Crushing and injecting Opana into the bloodstream causes massive blood vessels clotting and blockage, as well as internal/ excessive bleeding that result in stroke, heart attack and instant death. Follow us for more information and resources on drug abuse and treatment.

Xanax Can Be Deadly If Not Monitored

 

Xanax can be deadly as was seen by the recent fall of an iconic singer, Whitney Houston. Xanax in small doses is not at all lethal, but the problem it readily presents is addiction. When your life becomes dependent on Xanax, a lot of problems ensues; in some cases a permanent one, which is death.

Xanax belongs to a group of sedatives known as benzodiazepines. Its uses are similar to that of valium though recently Xanax has been included to the group of drugs abused by both celebrities and ordinary individuals. Clinically, the drug is prescribed to treat psychotic bouts and panic attacks to patients.

When the right prescription is followed, Xanax is quite harmless as a standalone drug. The problem sets in when over dependency on the drug registers. If prescribed to an ex-addict recovering from withdrawal symptoms, unmonitored use of the drug leads to addiction. Such addictions triggers drug overdoses which in many cases leads to death. Popular celebrities like Anna Nicole Smith, Michael Jackson and Jimmie Hendrix all reported to have over-dozed on benzodiazepines, Xanax being in the cocktail.

The drug Xanax becomes most lethal when combined with other drugs. As a panic attack treatment option, it is always advised not to use the drug in the presence of other drugs like painkillers, medication for treating respiratory infections or alcohol. Xanax abuse is common with alcoholics who are the biggest number in the death toll caused by the sedative.
If Xanax can be deadly, how come it's not banned from prescription? The problem is that the clinical trials run before showed the sedative to work just fine in comparison to other benzodiazepines. Xanax ranks as one of the most prescribed drugs in America and little campaign is done about its addictiveness and the reality that it can lead to death.

Even though Xanax proves to have some benefits on treating recovering addicts, the drug can become the new addiction if not controlled. The Food and Drugs Administration (USA) only approves Xanax for short-term use. Thus it is a mandate of both doctors and caregivers to ensure a prolonged use of the sedative is not encouraged.


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Phencyclidine - Substance Abuse Treatment Tips That May Help

One of the problems that people may have as they try a variety of different drugs is to use substances that will give them high. One particular drug in particular, PCP, has a very large user base, most of which are addicted to the effects of phencyclidine. If you have used Angel Dust in the past, and you are concerned about your addiction to Wack, here are a few ways that you can stop your addiction to the substance.

Why People Use Phencyclidine

Although this drug is illegal now, it was actually used by thousands of people in the early 50s when it was utilized for its anesthetic properties. The problem with the drug was that it caused hallucinations, and because it is a dissociative hallucinogenic, it was made illegal. It is able to affect the NMDA receptors of the brain, and because it is an antagonist, it has similar effects to nitrous oxide or ketamine. The drug is very effective at affecting the hippocampus, which can cause hallucinations to occur along with loss of muscular coordination, increased pulse rate, and a change in the breathing rate of the human body.

Getting Treated For Phencyclidine

There are quite a few treatment centers that you can find around the world, many of which can help people with this addiction. The reason that so many people have a problem with stopping their usage of this drug is not so much that it changes things in your body where you become addicted, but you simply become addicted to the feelings themselves. By working with the clinic that can help you get off of the drugs, you can quickly find a way to stop using PCP and get your life back moving in a positive direction.

Infidelity In The Digital Age - It's Cheating?

Infidelity is one of the worst things that can end a relationship. It doesn't just bring to a close the romantic attachment that one person has to another - it creates a deep chasm of distrust that can ruin families and lives. While cheating has been around as long as relationships, recent years have brought in a new way to cheat - so-called cyber cheating, or online affairs. These affairs may not be physical, but they are just as damaging as their physical counterparts. It's up to you to understand and prevent these affairs in your own relationship.

Emotional Affairs

Online affairs are traditionally emotional in nature - because they are conducted at a distance, no physical connections are ever made. With that said, the affairs do involve a deep emotional connection. These connections are kept secret from the partners in a relationship, and the unfaithful spouse may not even consider what he or she is doing to be cheating. In reality, though, this kind of emotional infidelity is every bit as damaging as physical intimacy.

Preventing The Affairs

So, what can you do to prevent this kind of cheating? As with most other forms of infidelity, your best line of defense is to keep the lines of communication open. Your partner needs to know what is and is not acceptable in the relationship. You also need to make sure that you provide a proper emotional outlet for your own partner - if he or she is looking elsewhere, it may be because he or she feels neglected or is unable to communicate effectively. Counseling may be necessary to get the two of you back on the same page, and the damage that has already been done may take years to repair. With effort, though, you can create a relationship that is immune to these temptations.

Communication Is Key

Cyber cheating is just as real as any other kind of affair, and it pays to remain aware of the possibility of such issues. Always talk to your partner about online relationships to make sure that the two of you are on the same page. Communication is really the key to making sure that such issues don't occur.

~Infidelity In The Digital Age Has Become Very Damaging To Relationships, It's Time To Redefine Cheating, And Find Solutions To The Problems~

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Addiction To Pain Meds - Why Opiates Addiction Need To Be Kicked

If you have ever been in a substantial accident, one that left you physically impaired, an accident that will require quite a bit of recovery time, your doctor may have prescribed a painkiller that can help you during your recovery, one that is opiate based. Most people know that opiates are by far the best painkillers on the market, whether you get them with a prescription, or if you get them illegally. They are sold on the street for hundreds of dollars for a single bottle, purchased by people that have at some point become addicts that like the euphoria and the pain relief.

The Addicting Qualities Of Opiates

Whether you are using painkillers like hydrocodone or oxycodone HCL, the effect is basically the same. Depending upon the strength of the actual pill, you could find yourself experiencing a lack of pain, euphoria, and an almost transcendent like feeling caused by the drugs as they interact with your brain. By affecting the mu receptors that are connected to your CNS, you'll start to develop an addiction. Overstimulation of these receptors is what causes the addiction to persist, motivating people to do anything that they can to get these drugs. The key to ending your addiction is to stop using the drugs, something that is easier said than actually accomplish.

Treatment Centers For Opiate Addicts

An opiate addict, one that has been so for decades, will almost always have to check themselves into a treatment center. The severe withdrawals that are experienced as a result of taking these pills that are derived from poppy seeds can be quite substantial, causing you to sweat, have diarrhea, paranoia, and also uncontrollable shaking and an urge to take more of the drug. These effects typically lasts a couple weeks, and then you are back to normal, but you may need help to get through this difficult time. That's why treatment centers all over the nation are open to those that need this type of help so they can get free from opiates.

How To Treat Cocaine Substance Abuse The Right Way

If you or someone that you know is currently using cocaine, and you would like to stop, it's a lot easier to express this desire then it is to accomplish it. Cocaine is one of the most addicting illegal substances on the planet today. It commands a very high price on the street, and the more addictive you become, the more it will not only affect your body, but also your financial situation. If you would like to quit using coke, here's what you need to do.

Understanding Why Cocaine Is So Addicting

Cocaine is derived from the coca plant, a very familiar flavor that most of us know. In the early days, Coca-Cola actually had 9 mg in every single bottle. The flavoring is still there, but the cocaine has been removed due to legal reasons that have been in forest over the years. It was also shown to not only become addicting, but as a recreational drug, it can lead to strokes, heart attacks, and even death. It is addicting because it changes the way that your body reacts with certain receptors in your brain. You will start to need more of it to get the same level of comfort, and thus the addiction begins.

Treatment Centers For Cocaine Addicts

Cocaine addicts usually only have one alternative when it comes to treating substance abuse. If you want to stop using blow, an addiction treatment center is your only ticket to a life free of cocaine. Just like opiates, you're going to go through withdrawals as your body resets to normal levels. It has to completely be out of your system, which means you need to stop using it for several weeks until you are completely clean. By simply checking into a rehab center, you can finally and your addiction to cocaine.

How To Treat Alcohol Abuse In Your Life - Tips That Can Help

Do you have a problem with drinking alcohol every day? You probably recognize that you have a problem when you realize if you don't have a drink, you're simply not able to function properly. Alcohol abuse facts tend to point to individuals that have social or emotional problems as the primary candidates for those that will become addicted to drinking alcohol regularly. In fact, the national Institute of alcohol abuse and alcoholism has shown that at least 8% of the population has a problem with drinking alcoholic beverages. These alcohol abuse statistics are the best ways to motivate your self to get some help if you believe that you fall under these statistics.

What Alcohol Abuse Can Do To You

Alcohol abuse can do several things to you, some of which are physical problems, and others both emotional and social. The physical problems culminate with liver damage which is caused when you are drinking alcohol in excess. Mental problems are typically associated with those that are drinking alcohol to frequently which typically means they are having problems in their life whether at work or with their family at home. To get the treatment that you need, you may have to go to a alcohol treatment center that can help you resolve these issues.

Alcohol Treatment Centers You Should Connect With

Alcohol treatment centers are very easy to find because so many people do have problems with drinking alcohol. You can either get help from a group in town like AA, or find a treatment center where you can stay. Once you are done, you will be able to function without alcohol on a regular basis, and get your life back in order. You may have to undergo psychiatric treatment or psychological counseling to maintain this position, but in most cases, these treatment centers will help you stay clean.

Substance Abuse Treatment For Methamphetamines Near You

Some of the more popular television shows have revealed what methamphetamines can actually do to people. Whether this is a documentary, or a famous television show presenting this in a fictionalized setting, both clearly show that meth, also called Crystal, can be very addicting.

When you start taking speed, you will initially feel a solid rush, making you want to have more. You can become addicted over time, increasing your dosage, and potentially leading to a fatal situation. Here's what you need to know about methamphetamines, and how to get substance abuse treatment for this product.

How Methamphetamines Work

Methamphetamines are essentially stimulants. In the same way that legal drugs like Adderall and Ritalin stimulate the central nervous system in order to help people with ADHD, so also do methamphetamines. You can actually get amphetamines from your doctor for a prescription if you are having trouble motivating yourself in the morning.

By stimulating your central nervous system, it is possible to help you improve your life. However, when abused, they can take your life in a completely different direction, and physically cause problems including kidney failure, liver failure and the loss of your teeth.

Getting Treatment For Meth

To get treated for methamphetamines, you will have to check yourself into a rehab clinic. There are many companies that provide these services, many of which you can take advantage of. It just depends on how bad you are, and how much help you need, when deciding to go to a methamphetamine clinic.

Once you check in, after several weeks, you will be able to get your life back on track apart from these illegal stimulants. If you are currently suffering from an addiction to methamphetamines, call one of these companies and set an appointment today.